The present invention is directed to an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for mounting on a vehicle steering wheel and, in particular, is directed to an air bag module that is connected to a steering wheel armature by snap-in fasteners.
It is known to mount an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, such as an air bag module, on a vehicle steering wheel to help protect a vehicle driver in the event of a vehicle collision. The air bag module includes an inflatable air bag and an actuatable inflator for, when actuated, inflating the air bag. Further, the air bag module typically includes an annular retainer for securing the air bag to an annular flange on the inflator. In addition, the typical air bag module has a reaction plate for securing the inflator to a base portion of the steering wheel and absorbing the forces generated by the air bag and the inflator during deployment.
The aforementioned components of the air bag module and the steering wheel are usually connected by an assortment of threaded fasteners. These threaded fasteners increase the complexity and the cost of manufacturing and assembling the air bag module. In order to reduce cost and complexity, it is known to use snap-in fasteners to connect components of an air bag module and a vehicle steering wheel.
The present invention aims to reduce the number of components used in the air bag module by employing snap-in fasteners and by eliminating certain parts of a typical air bag module, such as the reaction plate and the air bag retainer.
The present invention is an apparatus comprising a vehicle steering wheel including an armature. The armature has a base portion, a circumferentially extending rim portion, and at least one spoke extending between the rim portion and the base portion. The base portion of the armature includes oppositely disposed first and second surfaces and a plurality of openings extending between the first and second surfaces. An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device abuts the first surface of the base portion of the armature. The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device comprises an inflatable air bag and an actuatable inflator for, when actuated, inflating the air bag. The inflator has a radially outwardly extending flange. The flange includes a plurality of apertures. A plurality of one-piece locking members secure the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to the armature. Each of the locking members has a compressible end portion that compresses radially inward to permit the end portion to pass through a respective one of the openings in the flange of the inflator and through a respective one of the apertures in the base portion of the armature. The end portion of each of the locking members includes a radially outwardly extending stop surface. Each of the locking members extends through the respective one of the openings in the flange and through the respective one of the apertures in the base portion. The stop surface on each of the locking members engages the second surface of the base portion of the armature to secure the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to the armature.